The Greatest Generation
by Ghostunderasheet
Summary: The greatest pirates of the generation must protect their children from the Marines and hide them on Dawn Island. What happens when the three more are added to the ASL Trio? This is the story of the Greatest Generation, their meeting, their nakama and their adventures from childhood and on through their lives.
1. Pirates are Coming!

**Ghostunderasheet here with a new story! Yeah, I know, I've already got three in progress but whatever, right? So, since I'm lazy, I'm only writing the usual stuff once. WARNING: language, violence, slavery. Nothing too graphic (aside from the language) beyond: it really hurt, there was puss and gore, etc. If that stuff's too much for you then back out now because there's a _lot_ of it. DISCLAIMER: obviously I don't own One Piece or I wouldn't be writing a FanFiction here, now would I? I do own my OCs, but you can feel free to use them if you want, just tell me and I can add a link to your story/drabble/whatever. I love feedback, from flames to fangirls (or fanboys, I don't judge) so leave a review if you want. When we start meeting characters who don't already have backgrounds, I'll be making stuff up for them. It'll probably turn out to be drivel when their pasts are finally revealed, but for now I've put research into making sure that their pasts are at least a tiny bit plausible. If you disagree or if I eventually get proven wrong, then feel free to tell me. I'll probably ignore you, but I'd like to know. Just for kicks, right? I think I've covered everything, so stop reading this annoying AN and skip to the story already! **

* * *

-Luffy POV-

Someone was screaming outside. I didn't really think it was all that important until he got close enough for me to hear what he was saying. "Pirates! Pirates are coming! Run for your lives!" It was the most exciting news I'd heard all day, probably in my entire life. Well, being seven I hadn't had very many opportunities to get too excited. And yet… "PIRATES! EVERYBODY RUN!"

I ran all right, but not the way I think he wanted me to. I heard Makino calling for me as I tore out of the bar but I ignored her. I had an opportunity to see actual pirates! There was no way I would miss this chance.

The ship was huge! Well, it was bigger than any other ship I'd ever seen before at least. We only had fishing boats and such so I was very excited. It had a figurehead that looked kind of like a dragon and an actual pirate flag and everything! "Wow," I whispered. "It's real." I'm sure my eyes were shining.

"Luffy, get back," Mayor snapped at me, stomping his way past and shoving me behind a nearby barrel to hide me from sight. "Oi pirates!" he shouted, "Get out of here! Your kind isn't welcome here!"

A head popped up over the railing, just barely, before ducking down again. Straining my ears, I could make out two voices. "No! You're not welcome! Go away! OW! Why'd you hit me?!" It sounded strangely like a little girl's voice. _Is that what pirates really sound like?_ I wondered, disappointed. _I figured they'd sound scarier. Whoever that is doesn't sound scary at all_.

"They live here you idiot," a second voice scolded. "They have every right to be here. We're guests. That's why we're asking permission to dock." Whoever he was, he didn't sound very old. That didn't seem very pirate-y either. Maybe they were fake pirates? No, that would be stupid.

"Then they should be politer to their guests!" the first voice retorted angrily.

"You mean they should be more polite. There is no such word as 'politer'."

"Yes there is, I just made it up! It's a real word now!"

A much taller head appeared, walking towards the rail. _Now __that guy_ _looks like a pirate! So cool!_ "Sorry about those two," he shouted down, putting a hand on his straw hat. "Kat never stops running her mouth and Falcon's not much better. Mind if we dock here?"

"Of course we mind!" Mayor shouted. "Get off this island! Pirates aren't welcome!"

"That's racist!" shouted the first voice. "Pirates are awesome! Greatest people ever!"

"Yeah!" I shouted, forgetting I was supposed to be hiding behind a barrel to watch. "Pirates are awesome! Let them dock!"

"Yeah! What he said!" I was starting to like this first voice after all.

"Pirates aren't a race you idiots." added the second voice. "You're both idiots."

* * *

-Shanks POV-

Kat was a little too excited about seeing land. Plus, I think she'd already made a friend before she even landed this time. Whoever it was hiding (rather poorly considering the shouting) behind the barrel had already caught her attention. Falcon didn't seem to care. Then again, I don't think I've seen him intentionally allow his expression to show that he cared about anything since we started this voyage. Both children were too short to see over the rail, meaning they were also too short to be seen over the rail (except when Kat jumped and could just peek over the edge). I considered that a good thing. If they couldn't be seen, they couldn't be shot at, not that I was worried about that under these circumstances.

"Oh, come on, we've got to dock somewhere, we're low on supplies and Kat's getting restless. I promise not to pillage anything while I'm here," I offered. "We don't mean any harm."

"No! Pirates are pirates! You shouldn't brainwash children!" the man yelled at me angrily.

"I'm not brainwashed you old coot!" Kat screeched indignantly, jumping again and trying to see over the rail. "My daddy's awesome! Pirates rule! Everyone else sucks!" Kat had certainly gotten over excited. I wondered mildly if she'd gotten into the sugar supplies but shook my head. If Kat had access to sugar, things would be much worse. As it was she was still very over energetic though. It was just land.

"Kat, calm down," I scolded. "There are plenty of perfectly good people who aren't pirates. You don't need to- KAT!"

Fortunately, Falcon managed to grab her ankle before she fell completely. Apparently she'd been trying to climb over the rail and had succeeded, forgetting that this side of the ship was over land and not water. If Falcon hadn't grabbed her she could have cracked her head open! I could hear her laughing delightedly, still suspended upside-down over what would mean certain death for her little nine year old skull.

"I got her," Falcon promised, Kat's weight pinning him against the rail with his feet of the ground. "We're good," he assured me.

"Aww, but I wanted to go to the island," Kat complained.

I snatched her up from Falcon's grip and immediately crushed the girl to my chest. "Akagami Katherine, if you ever scare me like that again I'm going to keep you on a leash for the rest of your life!"

Kat giggled again. "Daddy, you're hugging me upside-down! All the blood's going to my head and I'm getting dizzy!"

"Well you wouldn't be upside-down if you hadn't tried to jump off the ship!" I shouted. _Dear god, this child will be the death of me_.

"It could have been worse," Falcon shrugged. "And you're ignoring the mayor," he added as an afterthought.

I realized he was right. "Sorry about that! Now about docking the ship… hopefully before Kat tries to escape again?"

The man seemed to be in shock at my daughter's near-death experience. I took it as permission. "Alright, Ben! Drop anchor! He says it's okay and I want to get Kat on dry land before she jumps for it again."

* * *

-Falcon POV-

I do not know why I must be subjected to this idiocy. No, that's a lie. I know exactly why I'm here. What I don't understand is how exactly Kat managed to survive on this or any ship without careful and constant supervision, something her father is clearly incapable of providing. The girl is far too curious, reckless and careless. What kind of idiot tries to jump off a ship even if there is water there, especially without checking that it's safe? What kind of idiot jumps of a ship period? Maybe she only seems insane to me because I'm eleven and she's nine. Then again, I'm sure I was never that impulsive when I was nine. My father would not have tolerated it.

That thought squeezed at my heart more than I expected it to. I shouldn't be so sentimental about being away from home, especially when I understood why it had been necessary for me to leave. Dad wanted me to be safe.

The rest didn't matter; even if I had to put up with this headache-inducing girl and her father, not to mention his insane crew. The only person who seemed to have any semblance of normalcy was Ben. Unfortunately, he seemed to be taking advantage of my presence here to use me as a babysitter for Kat. It was a full time job.

Kat looked like her father much as I looked like mine. Her hair was slightly lighter than his, closer to a dark pink than a genuine red but still clearly similar and usually pulled up carelessly into a side ponytail pulled out the top of her black visor. I don't think there has been a single instance in which she wasn't grinning her head off during this entire trip, even when she was sleeping. Kat was probably half a head shorter than me, though contributing to that was the fact that she seemed to have some sort of bizarre abhorrence for proper footwear. When I asked Ben about it he simply said that every time shoes were bought for her, she threw them overboard. Aside from that though Kat was reasonably normal, wearing denim shorts and a light purple tank top.

Compared to me, with my black hair, black sunglasses and black clothes, she was a riot of color and energy. Something for which I did not envy her. _How is she supposed to remain inconspicuous like that? Doesn't she realize that if we attract the attention of the Navy, that they'll kill us simply for being born?_

* * *

**So how was it? Did I do a good job introducing Kat and Falcon or do you want more character development before we get to the main plot? Has anyone guessed who Falcon's father is yet? I don't think I gave you many clues this chapter so… If you get it already then you're probably awesome. **


	2. The Boy Who Wouldn't Run

-Sabo POV-

While running away had been exciting for maybe the first forty-five minutes, I was starting to get bored as the thrill wore off. I was delighted to be free of my parents, to be out meandering on my own and without constraints for the very first time in my life, but I was getting a bit hungry. And a little worried about the glances I was receiving, dressed as I was in the part of town I was in.

I would have to dirty my clothes up pretty soon so I could start blending in better or I might start getting in trouble. I don't think people liked Nobles around here. Not that I blamed them. We- they aren't exactly the nicest of people to those they considered 'beneath themselves' and when everyone was 'beneath them' they tended to make a lot of enemies. Especially in poorer areas like this.

I had never been allowed to see these places before. I therefore wasn't sure whether to categorize myself as lost or exploring. While I wasn't sure where I was, I did know how I got here and how to get back. Then again, I had no intention of returning to my parents anytime soon.

The people out here were so much more interesting. True, they smelt a bit worse and looked a bit scarier, but I considered it a worthy tradeoff if it meant that I could listen in on their conversations and overhear their stories.

One sentence in particular caught my attention: "What if Gold Roger had a son?" _What an interesting question_. I turned towards the voice. The boy asking couldn't have been any older than me, but it was obvious that he came from the streets. Or possibly worse, judging by the smell. Not that I blamed him for it. Sometimes the smells of perfumes and body washes and cleanliness got to me back 'home'. It was almost better to smell the streets. They smelt more honest.

"I think he sounds like an interesting person," I answered without thinking. "I would like to meet him. I bet he'd have all sorts of adventures…" My voice trailed off when I realized how many people were looking at me. There were only about four of them in the alleyway but still, outside that one brat who tried to stab me, I'd never been in a fight in my life. _Uh-oh. I'm in trouble now…_

"What'd you say, boy?" I didn't know who the guy was, but he clearly wasn't that happy to see me. He looked to be the leader of the… what does one call such things in real life? A group? A posse? That seemed stupid. I settled for gang.

"Uh… l would like to talk to the son of Gold Roger?" It came out as a question in spite myself. I was definitely reluctant to show any fear of hem. "It just sounds to me like the sort of person who would be interesting," I explained, "Plus, this conversation is entirely hypothetical because -"

"What's hippo-theatrical mean? You makin' fun of me, kid? Because you'd be in for a world ah hurtin' if you was." The man's tone dropped sharply and he bent to get in my face. I could count the fake teeth he had. There were eight. And he needed another three if he wanted a full mouth.

My instincts said to talk my way out of it. To give in to my 'breeding' and to summon help in the form of the police or to threaten the man with my status. It was after all, what I had been trained to do. Because my instincts were telling me to do that however, I did the complete opposite. "So that's what that smell was. I thought it was the street but apparently it was just your breath. I could smell it from way over there, can you believe it?" Naturally, the man swung.

I ducked, which was a good call. I probably would have broken something in my face if the man's blow connected. "Hold still you little brat!" he ordered.

"No thank you," I replied. "If all fake teeth look as bad as yours I'd rather avoid needing any." I dodged again, jumping back. Four against one, and I was unarmed. _This might be a good time to run…_ But I didn't have to.

"Here!" the boy from before shouted, tossing me a pipe.

"What do I do with this?" I panicked, not sure what I was doing.

"Hit them with it!" he ordered.

_Well, I should have thought of that one on my own_. "Good plan!" I shouted, swinging as hard as I could and bringing my new weapon down on the leader's head. He howled in pain and reeled backwards, clutching it.

"I'll kill you!" he threatened. "Get them!"

"Do we run?" I asked my new partner in crime.

"Of course not, we just hit them some more!" he replied happily.

"Good call," I agreed. "It seems to be working." The leader got back up on his feet, drawing a knife from his belt and glaring at me threateningly. "Or not. I'll hit him harder this time then."

"Now you got it!" I wish I could say that my first real fight was a one of a kind experience which I remembered forever or something cheesy like that, but in all honesty, over time it's just blurred together with all the other fights Ace has gotten me into. I know we struck first, and I know we charged them screaming like idiots, and I know that the leader lost several of his fake teeth and I know that by the end we weren't running anywhere so much as striding confidently from the scene, but the middle part is a bit of a blur.

"I'm Sabo by the way," I said, extending a hand.

"Portagas D. Ace," the other boy said simply, shaking it. "Would you really not care if you met the son of Gold Roger?" Ace asked me suspiciously. "Most people would want to kill m-him you know."

I think I knew that my answer to that question would be important. It was the kind of question that changed lives in ways that you couldn't understand. The consequences weren't the sort of thing I could anticipate. Most people would stop and consider their reply, formulating the safest response they could think up. But I didn't want to do that. So rather than think about it, I just answered with the truth: "Well, I wouldn't 'not care' exactly, but it's not like you've got to be just like your father. People shouldn't care about stuff like that, even if they do. It's stupid in my opinion. Everyone should just mind their own business."

Ace grinned. And I knew that I had a friend in Ace. Who was most certainly the son of Gold Roger. And who also was unable to choose his family.

* * *

**So… sorry for not updating sooner. All sorts of ****_crazy_**** stuff has been going on over here (not that you really care about details/excuses) so I've been kind of swamped lately but I'm back now! And ****_hopefully_**** I'll be updating more regularly too. **


	3. Mr Fisher-sama

"_Mom? What was my dad like?" _

I opened my eyes. I wanted to ask again, to try to get a better answer. Of course I did, because I wanted to know. Who wouldn't? And yet…

_Mom looked at me with sad eyes. She opened her mouth as if to say something but the words got stuck in her throat. She tried again but her eyes watered and she started weeping silently. Mom shook her head. "I… He…" _

"_It's okay. You don't have to tell me."_

I wouldn't ask again. Not if it made my mom cry. Mom was brave and strong and unbreakable and she wasn't supposed to cry. I caught myself wondering if maybe my dad was a horrible person to make her react like that. But I decided it was probably the opposite. Because thinking of horrible things is easy, but thinking of happy thing, now that's painful.

So I grew up never knowing anything about my father. Mind you, that was never the thing in my life I was most worried about. Most of the time I was more worried about whether or not I had pleased my master.

I hate words like that. Master. Slave. Property. Pet. But that's what my world consists of. And I'm not on the end of things where I can do anything about it. Because I'm … a pet. A pet's purpose is to please its master. And right now, I was in huge trouble.

No matter how vigilant and determined a person is, it is simply impossible for them to go through their entire life without ever accidentally knocking over something large and important, especially as a child. It can and will happen to seemingly everyone at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, this is what I had managed to accomplish quite spectacularly. I'm not entirely sure how I managed it, but I was now completely and utterly pinned under a very large, very heavy bookshelf, my head and one arm peeping out the top along with several slightly crumpled books.

Maybe for a normal person, being trapped under a bookshelf wouldn't be so bad, so long as they managed to get out from under it they'd be just fine. But for a slave to knock over her master's bookshelf… now that was a killing offense. If I were strong enough to set the bookshelf upright and whatnot then that would be one thing, I could hide the evidence and no one would know. But seeing as I was only six years old… well, there wasn't much I could do about that, now was there? I couldn't ever cry for help because let's face it, that would only summon more trouble sooner than it was already coming.

So, naturally, I did what any other six year old girl would do in this situation: I broke down and cried as quietly as I possibly could. I viscously wiped my tears and snot away with my available arm but it didn't do much and I couldn't reach my face very well from this position. I whimpered pathetically. I could only manage to think thought along the lines of 'I don't want to die' and 'how could I be so stupid?' For a child to have to face death and know it's coming, it was simply something that had happened to me.

_If only I hadn't been born a slave_. But then I wouldn't be my mother's daughter. And I did love my mom… Nobody would bother to tell her what happened to me either. I just wouldn't come back to the slave pens one day and she'd have to figure it out on her own. She'd probably cry. I hated making my mother cry.

Suddenly the weight was off my back. _They've come. They've found me. I'm going to die_. I squeezed my eyes shut and held my hands over my head protectively. Then I realized that I was in a cowardly position. I immediately snapped my eyes open and stood up, determined not to die a coward's death. Even someone born a slave was allowed to have courage, right? That's what my mom said.

But I didn't see what I was expecting. It was just one guy. He was obviously a slave too, judging from the large brand on the centre of his chest, mirroring the one I had on my back. He didn't look mad at me. In fact, if I had to guess I'd say he was happy I was okay.

"Thank you, mister. If I can put the books back, no one will ever know! I wonder how I can reach the high shelves…" I muttered, my voice trailing off.

He knelt and picked up a book, taking the chance to look me in the eyes from his newly decreased height, though I still had to look up slightly. "You're not scared of me?" he asked quietly, apparently surprised for some reason.

I tilted my head. _But he just helped me. So why would I be scared?_ "Is it because you look funny?" I asked thoughtlessly, immediately covering my mouth and then uncovering it to say, "I'm sorry. Mom said I wasn't supposed to point out when people look funny because it's rude and I could get in trouble. Are you mad at me?"

My savior looked perplexed for a moment before blinking a few times and returning to himself. He actually joked with me, making me smile, "Well, your hair is kind of funny-looking too, you know? I've never seen someone with purple hair before."

"It's not purple it's lavender," I corrected, replacing more books onto the lower shelves where I could still reach them. "Mom says it matches my eyes!"

"You're a funny little human, aren't you?" he asked, helping me replace the books with a small laugh in his voice. I liked being able to do that. Give people small smiles. It made me feel really useful.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded petulantly, "I'm not that little. And if I am it's just because I'm underfed. Not my fault."

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Rae. Rackham D Rae. And what's your name, Mr. Savior-sama?"

"Fisher Tiger," he supplied.

"You've got a weird name," I decided. "Oops! I'm not supposed to say that either am I?"

"No, you probably shouldn't. But it's okay. I don't mind."

"You're really nice, you know that?" I asked. "I like you. I'm going to help you too!"

"And how would someone as small as you possibly help me?" Mr. Fisher-sama asked teasingly. I knew he was joking though so it was okay. "You're just one person, and a small one at that."

"One person can to quite a lot, that's what my mom said," I told him, using my best I-know-better-than-you voice, "And I'm smart. I'll find a way to help you. I owe you one."

"If you say so kid, if you say so."


	4. Why Mountain Bandits Suck

-Kat POV-

This is so exciting! My first island outside of the Grand Line! And they don't like pirates! If there's fighting, I'll definitely get to help this time because Falcon's been looking really tired recently so I know I can sneak past him. He never lets me do anything fun, then again, he's also really nice and he makes really funny faces sometimes (when he's mad) so I guess it's okay. Falcon doesn't seem very excited about a new island… maybe it's just because he's tired.

But I'm not. I bolted down the gangplank as fast as I could "First!" I shouted. I turned around. "All you guys are slower than me!"

"Does that make you really fast?" a boy asked, running up to me.

"No, I just think they're lazy," I whispered to him.

"If you want to keep it a secret, don't shout," Falcon said, catching up to me and frowning slightly.

My eyes widened in shock. "Wow, man, you've got ears like a hawk!"

Falcon pushed his sunglasses up on the bridge of his nose. "Don't be ridiculous. Now aren't you forgetting something?"

"Like what?" I asked, "Can't we get food in the village?"

Falcon sighed, apparently irritated because he rolled his eyes at me. "Hello, I'm- uh, Draco Falcon. Nice to meet you."

"But Falcon, I thought your last name was-MNPH!" Falcon put his hand over my mouth! Ew! I licked his hand. "Why'd you do that you jerk?!" I shouted, more indignant than actually angry.

"And this is Kat. What's your name?" Falcon continued as if nothing happened.

"I'm Monkey D Luffy!" he shouted proudly.

"Monkey?" I asked. "That's a weird name. But my name means-MNPH!"

"Kat's name means pure. It's short for Katherine," Falcon interrupted me (again!) while putting a hand over my mouth (again!).

Naturally, I licked his hand (again!) and shouted at him, "Stop doing that! Your hand tastes nasty!"

Falcon glanced at his hand. "There's nothing unclean or unusual about my hands," he muttered petulantly. He was totally pouting, not that he'd ever say as much. "Anyway, uh, Luffy," Falcon said his name funny, like he thought his name was strange. I thought it was a bit funny that Falcon thought that Monkey was a weird name. Who keeps naming their kids after animals anyway? Must be idiots. "Do you know where we can feed Kat? She's probably hungry by now and she'll start getting cranky soon."

"I do not get cranky! Shut up you meanie!" I screeched indignantly.

Falcon gave Luffy a look that said, '_see what I mean?_' and Luffy grinned at us. "Follow me! Makino's really nice so I know she'll give you guys food too!"

* * *

-Falcon POV-

The number of idiots I'm responsible for had doubled. Luffy as just as bad, if not worse than Kat when it comes to self-restraint. Plus, I think I've got a bit of a headache now which is just not helping the situation at all.

"My punches are as strong as pistols!" Luffy bragged loudly, miming a punch to prove his point. Somehow I doubted the sincerity of his words. Actually, outside of Yassop's demonstration this morning, I doubted that Luffy had ever seen a pistol fired in person.

"Are the now?" Shanks asked around a mouthful of food, not even bothering to look over.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Luffy protested.

"Heh," Luffy Roo scoffed, "He means you're too much of a kid, kid!"

"And he's right you know," Yassop agreed, "I've got a kid of my own who's about as old as you."

"I'm not a kid! I'm a grownup!" Luffy shouted at a volume which should not be proportionate to his size. _How could someone so __small_ _be so __loud__? My head hurts. _

"Here," Shanks said, clearly hiding amusement behind his voice, "have some juice and clam down."

"Wow, thanks Shanks!" Luffy said happily. _Is he serious?_ I wondered. One second Luffy's mad as a hornet and now he's totally pacified. By juice. _What a child_.

Apparently Shanks agreed with me because he started laughing loudly, smacked the table and shouted, "I don't know one pirate who drinks juice!" _You be quiet too! You're setting a bad example for Kat and Luffy!_ I raged internally but said nothing. I knew there was no point attempting to fix the damage which had already been done to Kat and that Luffy was already almost as bad anyway.

"Hey! You tricked me!" Luffy protested as the bar erupted into laughter. I snorted softly. "Stop laughing!" Luffy demanded angrily but he was mostly ignored. "That was a cheap shot!"

"What's wrong with juice?" Kat asked, looking up balefully from her glass. "It's good." She gave me a kicked puppy look. _Damn, now I've got to comfort her_.

"There's nothing wrong with juice," I assured her as patiently as I could with a now growing headache. "It's just not something that most pirates would choose to drink when they could have sake or something like that." Thinking to put it into terms she understood I added, "Sake is what the cool people drink - sake or wine, whichever."

"Oh. Okay," Kat agreed, nodding happily in understanding. I was immediately on edge. _That was too easy_. Nothing is ever that easy with Kat involved. "Then can I have sake too?!" I had to restrain myself from the urge to slap myself in the head.

Makino laughed, overhearing our conversation. "You'd have to ask your father about that one, and no. We're out of sake anyway. Even if he says yes you'll have to wait for some other time."

Kat visibly deflated and I sighed in relief. I didn't want to know what would happen if someone as already hyperactive as Kat was granted access to alcohol. Or coffee. Or sugar. Damn, I'd have to keep a tight watch on her while we were on land. It would be too easy for her to get her hands on dangerous substances. That is to say, substances dangerous to the mental health of people around her.

I caught myself thinking of ways to keep Kat away from energizing substances and frowned slightly. Why should this be my responsibility? Kat was traveling with me, sure. And she was rather attached to me but that shouldn't make her my problem. Right? I should do a better job of keeping my distance.

Before I could follow those thoughts to a satisfying conclusion, the bar door flew off its hinges, kicked from the outside. It rattled to the floor as the rest of the bar fell quiet. _Blissful silence_.

"Excuse us," a voice sneered, now the only sound aside from Shanks's fork scraping lightly against his plate and completely ruining my perfect quiet. _Whoever's talking, I think I hate them. No, that's irresponsible. I can't go cutting people up just because they disturb my rest_. I shrugged and returned to my snack. I had no need to get involved but I should be prepared for a fight anyway. That's what my father had taught me. I checked my belt, already knowing that my curved hunting knife would be there like it always was.

"So these are what pass for pirates around these parts," the voice continued, accompanied by a sound which was doubtless his own footsteps. I didn't turn to look. "Looks rather sad to me," he commented as he stepped on the already de-hinged door and leaned up against the bar.

I spared him a glance. Ugly. Tall. Unremarkable and not that strong. A big fish in a little pond. Absolutely not a threat, at least by my standards. Well, come to think of it, I didn't have my swords with me. My father had cautioned against carrying them around in public and drawing attention to myself so they was safely stored back on the East Wind. Without my swords I wasn't sure which of us would win in a fight. My hand-to-hand combat sucked big time. But it would still improve as I got older though so I wasn't too worried. For this particular instance, Shanks would step in if things got too out of hand.

Makino went over to serve them, doing her job. "Welcome gentlemen, what can I do for you?" she asked politely. I rather respected her. Makino had nice manners and a calm disposition. It was refreshing. Plus, she was relatively quiet too.

"We're mountain bandits," the man announced smugly.

"No duh," Kat muttered to me and I grunted in acknowledgement. It was rather obvious. I bet even Luffy could tell.

"But we didn't come here to tear your place apart." At least the guy hadn't heard Kat's comment. I didn't want her getting in trouble. "All we want is some sake. I'd say… ten barrels should do."

"I'm sorry," Makino began, "but as I was just saying, we're actually fresh out of sake right now."

"Hmm, interesting," he scoffed. _Can he leave now? He's annoying and he's got a loud voice._ "These other pirates seem to still be drinking. Is that water in their glasses?"

"No, that just happens to be the last of what I had stocked up," Makino said, nerves just barely starting to creep into his voice. Her face was still calm though. She wasn't showing this man any weakness. I deeply approved.

"My apologies gentlemen," Shanks said, "looks like me and my friends drank the whole place dry." I mentally corrected him to 'my friends and I' but said nothing aloud. "But," Shanks offered, holding out an unopened bottle of sake he'd been planning to drink, "you can have this if you want. It hasn't even been opened yet. Go ahead."

The bandit sneered and smashed his fist through the glass, shattering it all over Shanks and spilling the contents onto the floor. "I'm wanted," he bragged, "There's an eight million belli bounty on my head. One bottle isn't enough for me. So don't insult me."

"Just great," Shanks muttered. "Now the floor's wet!" he announced. "Sorry about that Makino, you got a rag I can clean this up with?"

"Oh, don't worry about it," she assured him, running around the bar to be helpful. "I'll take care of it," she assured him.

"You're a very rude person, you know that?" Kat accused the mountain bandit. "If you weren't going to drink it you could have given it to me."

"I am absolutely not putting up with you if you get drunk," I protested automatically. "It's much better that the bottle is gone now and out of your reach." At the same time I was thinking, _So much for keeping myself out of it._

"What are you brats talking about? Shouldn't you be a little more afraid for your lives?" the bandit demanded, glaring at us and placing a hand on his sword in what was undoubtedly supposed to be a threatening manner. "My name's Higuma. I've killed fifty six people you know. Kids like you. Once someone's pissed me off-"

"Hey Makino?" Kat asked, standing on her stool and leaning over the bar, "can I have more juice please?"

"Oh, um, of course," she said, dashing back around the bar and leaving Shanks to clean up the bits of broken glass and spilled booze. "Just a second sweetie."

Kat beamed happily and bounced slightly on her stool as her glass was refilled. "Thanks Makino!" she shouted happily and reached for her glass.

"Why do you still want juice? I thought juice was for not cool people?" Luffy asked, confused.

"So says the boy drinking juice," I muttered, annoyed with him.

Higuma punched Kat's juice out of her hands. Bits of glass rained in my direction but I ignored it. "Pay attention when people are talking you little brat," Higuma ordered angrily.

Kat gave him a quick flash of her kicked puppy face before turning to me. "Hey Falcon, can -"

"You can have mine," I assured her, scooching my glass over before she could even finish asking the question. I'd already grown accustomed to accommodating Kat's seemingly constant needs. I could spare the juice if it meant I could be spared of whining and the kicked puppy face. Makino would probably be kind enough to give me a refill anyway and I had no defense against the kicked puppy face. Not even Ben did.

Before she could drink from it, Higuma smashed that glass too. Kat frowned. "That's very childish you know," she scolded. "You can't break thing just because you don't like them." She sounded like she was repeating one of Shanks's gentle scoldings, of which she got plenty. Several times a day Kat would discover something else she wasn't supposed to do and it would have to be carefully explained to her what she was doing wrong.

Higuma looked furious but contained it, barely. "Brat, stop pissing me off!" he threatened. "I'll kill you!"

Kat looked over to me and Luffy, confused. "What did I do wrong?" she asked earnestly.

I sighed in defeat. "You're not supposed to ignore people when they're talking, Kat. You're supposed to give them your full attention. Anything less is rude."

"But he wasn't talking to me," Kat argued. "Am I just supposed to be cowering in fear on the sidlelines or something?"

"That's stupid," Luffy decided. "Pirates don't cower and neither to I!" he announced proudly.

"Okay fine," I yielded. "You guys don't have to cower but at the very least don't try to talk over people. It's rude. Don't interrupt them either."

"But I don't get it…" Kat mumbled, staring morosely at what had once been her juice. My juice too, now that I think about it. "How come I gotta act different just because he's being rude?"

"I don't get it either," Luffy agreed.

Kat blinked innocently, turning back to Higuma. "I've come to the conclusion that you're just a cranky person. I'm just gonna ignore you now," she informed him. "Hey, Makino? I'm sorry about your glasses. I'll make my daddy pay for them since it's sorta my fault and I'm flat broke so I can't do it myself."

"That's my girl," Shanks said fondly, getting up to put a hand on her head. "Always looking out for others."

"You little bitch!" Higuma roared and drew his sword. Well, he started to anyway. He didn't get very far. Instantly, the Red Haired Pirates leaped into action. Blades were drawn and at the bandits' throats before they could blink. Even I had my hunting knife up against Higuma's side, despite knowing it would make little difference. He and his subordinates froze in terror, not that they could move very far without getting cut anyway. "N-Now see here," Higuma started but he didn't get very far.

"I don't particularly care if you are a grouchy person," Shanks informed him, "But nobody touches my daughter and gets away with it. Do you understand?" The bandit leader swallowed nervously and nodded. "Good, now apologize to Makino."

Anger flashed across the bandit leader's face for half a second before it was replaced by the fear and he swallowed again, Shanks's sword still at his neck. "I, I'm sorry," he choked out. It was obvious that it was killing him to say it but he was too afraid for his life to stand up for his pride. _What a coward_.

"Now leave," Shanks said simply, sheathing his sword and ceasing to pay the bandit any mind. His men stood down too, no longer interested. His men did the same. I stuck my knife back in its sheath on my belt. None of us bothered to watch as Higuma stumbled away, terrified for his life and quickly followed by his thugs.

"Ne, Shanks," Luffy demanded, frowning, "how come you let that guy make fun of you? You weren't scared of him at all but you let him push you around. That's stupid, isn't it?"

"It was just a little spilt sake, Luffy, nothing to get upset over," he explained casually. "There was no need to fight him over something so small. Some things just aren't worth fighting over."

Kat was pulling on my sleeve repetitively. I tried to ignore her but she kept tugging. "What?" I asked, irritated. Kat pointed at Luffy. He was chewing messily, which was no surprise for him. Luffy didn't know how to chew neatly and probably couldn't if he wanted to. _Why is he eating something… purple… and __swirly _ "SHANKS! LUFFY'S EATING YOUR DEVIL FRUIT!" I shouted in realization before immediately clapping a hand over my mouth, embarrassed to have lost control and panicked like that.

"**WHAT?!**" Shanks panicked. I felt mildly reassured to note that he panicked more than I had. "Spit it out!" he ordered, grabbing Luffy by the ankles and shaking him upside down. _As if that would help. He's already eaten it. It's too late for that_. "Right now! Every single bit of it!"

"What are you doing?!" Luffy yelled, "Why are you shaking me?!"

Luffy's legs stretched so his face got stuck to the floor. _Well that's not something most people see every day._ Everyone was silent for a moment.

When his body snapped back into shape and Kat realized what had happened she screamed. "AAGH! LUFFY'S GOT SOME WEIRD STRETCHING DISEASE! HE'S GONNA DIE!" I snorted but covered my mouth. It wasn't that funny.

"AAGH! I'M GONNA DIE?!" Luffy panicked. "SHANKS! SAVE ME!"

I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. "Nobody's going to die!" I informed them, chuckling slightly at their relieved faces. "It's just a Devil Fruit is all."

"O~oh," Kat realized. "That's okay then. I was worried for a minute there!"

"Luffy, you just ate the Gum Gum Fruit, part of a group called the Devil Fruits! Eating any of them takes away your ability to swim for the rest of your life but the one you just ate also turns you body to rubber!" Shanks yelled. _Why is he still yelling? Hadn't he realized that everyone else was already over this already?_

"No way! It can't!" Luffy yelled, now panicked all over again.

"You dumbass!" Shanks accused.

_Well, as dumb as Luffy is… _"You're the one who left an unlocked box containing a valuable and expensive Devil Fruit out on the counter in a public bar in front of a child who you already knew would eat anything and everything in his path," I pointed out. "Aren't you being a bit hypocritical here?"

"You know, when you make that face you remind me too much of your father," Shanks muttered irritably. "I think smugness runs in your family."

"Thank you. I take that as a compliment."


	5. Escaping is Against the Rules

-Rae POV-

"Hey Mom?" I asked, knowing she was tired and it would probably be better to let her sleep right now but needing an answer anyway.

"Yes? What is it sweetie?" she asked softly, reluctantly pulling herself into wakefulness.

I felt a little bit guilty about ruining some of her sleep but pushed it down. "I know I'm not allowed to escape until I'm seventeen, but can I -?"

"Rackham D Rae, what did you get yourself into now?" Mom demanded, fully awake now and using that parental I'm-worried-and-angry-at-the-same-time tone of voice she got when she thought I'd done something stupid. "Whatever it is, please tell me you didn't get caught."

"I'm okay, mom. Don't worry. I'm safe. But Mom, am I allowed to help other people?" I asked, hopeful. Before she could answer I said, "Because there's this guy who's really nice and he kind of looks funny because he's pink but he helped me and I wanna help him back because that's fair and since he's really strong I wanna help him escape. If that's okay. Because I know you don't like me being in danger but I promise I'll be careful."

Mom was silent for a moment. I waited. I knew better than to interrupt her when she was worrying because it just made her even more overprotective. "You have the right to be a good person. No one can ever take that away from you." She squeezed me close. I always slept in mom's lap because she was more comfortable than the floor, that and it made me feel safe. "That being said," she continued, "I couldn't bear it if anything were to happen to you. You've got to swear to me that you won't do anything rash yourself. Not until you're seventeen." Mom took a deep breath. "You can do whatever you think you have to, but only on the condition that you never, under any circumstances, do anything that will get you caught. Do you understand? I can't lose you, sweetie. I love you so much."

"I love you too Mom," I hugged her as well as I could while already being crushed into her chest. I really did love my mom. She was all I had. "You should get some sleep."

"And this coming from my tired little trooper," Mom teased me. "Rae, get some rest. You can help your friend tomorrow."

I wiggled into my mom's side and listened as her breathing evened out and she fell asleep again. I wasn't sure why I wasn't sleeping yet. I was tired and sore from the work I'd been doing all day. But my brain was awake.

* * *

"Hey, Mr. Fisher-sama?" he hummed in reply, busy lifting something large and heavy so that I could clean under it, which I did quickly. I didn't want him to drop it by accident and for me to get crushed, not when 'injured' meant 'broken' and 'broken' meant 'disposable'. "How come you never try to run away?" I asked him curiously.

The statue quivered over my head and I dashed out from under it before he could forget he was holding it up. The fishman set it down slowly, missing me entirely. "You-... you could get killed for thinking like that, you know kid?" he warned, looking at me funny. I think he was wondering how someone like me was still here and still alive.

"Only if you get caught. Mom says I'm not allowed to escape because I'm too small and weak, but you're big and strong, so what would it matter? Besides, if I didn't have to worry about leaving my mom behind, I would have tried running away long ago, even if it meant maybe dying. I want to know what it's like to be free." The last part came out as a whisper. I could never say it in front of Mom because if I did, she'd feel terribly guilty and I hated doing that to her.

"Kid… how old are you?" Mr. Fisher-sama asked, apparently bewildered.

I held up one hand, all my fingers extended proudly, then glanced at it. I added another finger from my other hand. "Six!" I said proudly. "I used to be five and three quarters but I'm six now! Mom says I'm not allowed to try anything until I'm seventeen and I'm big. That's not for over a decade! That's a long time…"

"You're six years old and you have thoughts like that?" he persisted. We were only pretending to work at the moment in case someone came by, but this place was so big it hardly mattered. Still, better safe than dead, we didn't get chances to be sorry.

"I talk to the old people in my slave pen," I explained, "They've got great stories! About pirates and stuff. My mom does too, she used to be a famous thief. She's the coolest!"

"Keep your voice down," Mr. Fisher-san scolded automatically. But I don't think he was really listening anymore. "Kid, you know you got a bomb collar around your neck, right? It'll explode. Don't go doing reckless things," he scolded. "You'll die."

"Not if you steal the key," I pointed out, lowering my voice carefully. "You can swim right?"

"Well, yes," Mr. Fisher-sama agreed, "I can swim very well. I'm a Fishman so -"

"A what?" I asked.

"A Fishman," he explained again. I think he didn't quite understand why I didn't already know this. Nobody had explained it to me before.

"Is that why your skin's pink?" I asked him. "Because sometimes I see funny-looking people like you but I never got why. So they were Fishmans?"

"It's 'Fishmen', but yes," Mr. Fisher-sama confirmed.

"Okay," I agreed, storing the information away for later. But the plan was more important. "You've gotta stand in the front when they're picking people to go to the lady's beach house. You're skin's pretty colors so it should work. They picked me because of my hair one time because the lady likes pretty colors. If you can get to the water from there, you're free right?"

There was a long pause as Mr. Fisher-sama started down at me thoughtfully and more than a little bit surprised. "You thought up this plan by yourself, didn't you?" he asked.

"Mm-hm!" I nodded vigorously. I stopped quickly though because it made me feel light-headed. "I can't swim though, so it wouldn't work for me at all," I added honestly.

"Did…" he paused again, still staring at me, "Did you think up this plan specifically for me?"

I blinked at him. _Isn't that obvious? _"Yes."

"... Thank you." There wasn't much else he could be expected to say in this kind of situation, but still.

"Yeah, well," I mumbled, "Thank me if you survive. The Red Line's kind of big, ya' know? But I think you'll be fine, so that's good!" I added happily. I wouldn't have given him the plan if I had a bad feeling about it.

"Keep your voice down," Mr. Fisher-sama scolded.

"Sorry," I apologized automatically, but I wasn't really feeling guilty about it. I felt happy. Helping people was nice. When I got free, I'd do it more often.


	6. The Makings of Monsters

-Ace POV-

Sabo's a pretty cool guy I guess. He's been visiting me on and off for about a week now and we get along fine. He seems pretty smart, which is a little bit out of place but I don't question it. It's kind of... nice to have a nice friend. And strange. Very strange to have someone around who won't automatically turn on me. Not that I trust him or anything. I don't. It's just... I don't think he'll do anything bad to me just yet is all. For now, I can just kind of enjoy having a friend.

I can enjoy doing silly stupid things like playing two-person tag until we both collapse onto the grass, panting to catch our breaths. It's ridiculous. Childish. But I don't mind really. At least I could enjoy not thinking for a little while. Then again, the downside to having a smart friend is that they as questions.

* * *

-Sabo POV-

"Hey Ace, what do you want to be when you grow up?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said. "Why do you ask?"

I guess it must have seemed rather random. "No reason," I dismissed. It just came up." I actively didn't think about my father. I didn't think about being told to do better. I didn't think about that stuff because I was here with Ace and right now I wasn't Outlook Sabo, I was just plain Sabo and that's all I had to be.

"Well, what's your answer?" Ace asked me, breaking me out of the thoughts I was actively trying not to have.

"I'd like to be free." I decided. It's what I wanted after all.

Ace sat up slightly to look at me. He flopped back down. "So a pirate then?" he asked casually.

I thought about that. Yeah. Pirates were free. "I guess so," I agreed.

I looked over at him, lying next to me in the grass. He was thinking pretty hard and I felt my mouth quirk into a smile. "I guess I'd like to be free too," he decided. Then so quietly I probably wasn't supposed to hear I heard him mutter, "Make my own mark on the world."

I nodded to myself before sitting up. "We're going to need a boat. And for that we'll need money." I paused, tilting my head to the side thinking _Isn't it funny how it always comes back to that in the end?_

"So… we steal it?" Ace suggested.

"We steal," I agreed, not feeling bad about taking money from the people surrounding me in hightown. "Let's go. For the Pirate Fund!"

* * *

-Kat POV-

I was very glad to learn that Luffy wasn't dying. I was downright excited to learn that daddy would let me stay on the island with Luffy while he got a look around the surrounding area. Daddy wanted Falcon to stay here too but he insisted on going along anyway. I think he just wanted to explore. I wish he was staying too but it was okay because I could still hang out with Luffy and I wasn't alone.

Makino was nice too. She kind of reminded me of my mommy, but also not. They didn't look the same or anything, and Mommy was definitely stronger, but the kindness… Mommy had the same kindness Makino had. I missed her all of a sudden. Which was stupid. There was no point.

"Ne, Luffy, do you feel funny?" I asked him, "I mean, because you're all rubber now. Does that make you feel weird?"

Luffy thought about it. "I feel like normal."

"Good. I'm glad," I decided. "I don't want you to feel weird." Suddenly the door busted open and my first reaction was to shout "Again?! You know Miss Makino just fixed that door, right?!"

"Ah! Brat! What are you still doing here?!" demanded…

I blinked at him. "Hey, Luffy, do you remember this guy's name? I forgot…"

"Uhm... " he screwed up his face really hard to think. "Nope. I've got nothing."

"Drat."

"It's Higuma you insignificant little brats!" he shouted.

"Oh yeah!" I agreed enthusiastically. "Now I remember! You have a bounty and everything!"

In retrospect, I should learn to fight before I learn how to piss people off. He may have been a smidgen stronger than me back then. A smidgen.

* * *

-Luffy POV-

"Take it back you cowering, yellow-bellied, gutless, land-leaches! You filthy, disgusting, muddy little gossip-wives! Let me go and I'll take a wooden spoon and-" Kat continued like that for some time. I wanted to join in, but I didn't think I could come up with anything nearly as creative. **(AN: do you want me to include her real threats? Because I might do it anyway next time just for kicks...)**

The bandit guy (whose name I don't really remember fully) threw her on the ground so she landed on her stomach and planted a foot on her back. I was flung backwards against the town well. Makino and Mayor were saying stuff, but I wasn't listening. I was too angry. '_Pirates are nothing but a bunch of useless cowards with a ship_.' he said. He was wrong! At least I didn't care what they were saying until Mayor got down on his knees and begged. That wasn't right!

"Mayor!" I protested, but it was kind of hard because I had a minion's boot in my face.

"Get up off your knees you gibbering grub! You never kneel for someone else's sake you hear me?! You kneel when you respect someone for their own merits and only then! Not for someone else and not to men like this! Only cowards pick on children anyway!"

"That's it," Bandit guy decided, "It's definitely too late to save them. They've pissed me off. Especially you, pinkie."

"WHO YOU CALLING PINK?!" Kat demanded at the top of her lungs. "IT'S RED! RED YOU HEAR ME!? RED!"

"See? You're the one pissing people off you mountain monkey!" I argued. He drew his sword and walked towards me. "Watch as I kill your friend, and then you."

"Luffy!" "Please! Let him go!"

"There was no one at the bar, so I figured something was up." That was Shanks's voice! Shanks was here! "If it isn't our friends the bandits!"

"Daddy!" Kat shouted happily. "They insulted pirates! Beat them up! They forgot why pirates are scary!"

"Oh? So you're still in town, pirates?" Bandit guy drawled.

"Luffy? Aren't your punches as strong as pistols?" Shanks asked, "And Kat? What did I say about running around without a weapon?"

"Not to do it," Kat mumbled, letting her face flop back onto the floor before shooting up. "Got it! From now on: Have a weapon!"

Bandit guy accused, "I don't know what you want, but you better beat it before you get your head blown off, coward."

There was the sound of a gun clicking and someone said, "He told you not to come any closer coward, unless you want your head blown life!"

"Your risking your li~ife!" Kat sang happily. "You shouldn't do that you stupid turban-wearing slime," she pointed out patiently.

"Hah?" he asked.

"When you wield that pistol,you risk your life," Shanks said, explaining.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm saying this isn't a toy." _BANG!_

"Thanks Uncle Lucky!" "You killed him!" "You dirty bastards!" "Dirty?" "Don't be stupid. Did you think you were fighting saints?" "The men who stand before you are pirates."

"Wait," Falcon spoke up for the first time. "Let me handle this. I saw the way he threw Luffy. Let me handle this."

* * *

-Falcon POV-

"You have a sword, right?" I asked, the answer being obvious. "So fight me," I ordered.

He looked at me and drawled out, "Why should I bother-?"

"If you don't fight me," I said, cutting him off, "I will call you a coward. "

"Damn you! I'm no coward!" he shouted, enraged at the mere insinuation.

"So you're afraid to even be called a coward?" I scoffed. This man was scum. The lowest of weaklings. I did not pretend to be any kind of great fighter - I'm only 11 after all - but I was easily leagues better than him. "How weak that you cannot even stand the idle words of a child."

Higuma swung. I reacted. His sword stabbed into the ground with a 'schwick' as he screamed. There was a thud of meat hitting the ground. "Dammit! Fuck you! Fuck! My arm!" Higuma screamed. "What kind of kid cuts off a guy's arm?! You monster!"

"What kind of man stabs a child?" I responded calmly. Being called a monster didn't hurt. I didn't let it. "You have already proven yourself a monster. That gives me the right to cut you down. Never hurt those under my protection… not that you'll live long enough to make use of that information." I swung again, almost lazily. Higuma's head was the second limb to hit the ground, followed shortly by the remainder of his body. I didn't turn to look at him. There was no need.

"You don't think you went a little bit overboard there, kid?" Shanks asked me, not looking concerned over the dead man and instead over the flecks of blood on my clothes.

I blinked at him and sighed. "One: Can I really be called a kid? And two: Had it been Kat's arm he grabbed that way, or had Luffy not eaten your Devil Fruit, it would have broken. Luffy may be find, but he could just as easily not have been. Intention is just as bad really. I believe it was called for. Three: It's too late now either way."

"You're really cheery, you know that?" Shanks asked. "Just like your old man," he muttered.

I narrowed my eyes at him and readjusted my sunglasses silently. I didn't say anything. I actually didn't get the chance. The next thing I knew two slightly smaller bodies had collided into me and knocked me to the ground. "Oh yeah, now I have to deal with you guys."

"Woah!" Luffy shouted in my ear. "That was awesome! Do you do stuff like this all the time! Pirates are awesome!"

"Falcon that was awesome!" Kat shouted. "Did you have to cut his head off though? that was icky. You could have just scared him off! Oh - but then if he pees himself that's icky too! Good call with the head then! Blood is less icky than pee!"

I turned to Shanks. "What exactly did you teach her when she was growing up?" I asked. "Because whatever it is… it's not what most kids get taught. She's weird."

"Hey! No!" Kat complained, "I'm not weird! I'm just used to seeing icky things!"

So was I. "Yeah, I guess. Can you two get off me now?"

"Eh?" Kat sounded disappointed. "But I like hugging you, Falcon."

"I like hugging Falcon too!" Luffy declared happily. You guys are awesome!"

"Wait, why am I awesome?"

"You bit that guy. That was cool."

"yeah I guess."

"Can you have this discussion when you're not pinning me to the ground?"

"I don't think they're getting off, kid," Shanks informed me. "Do you want me to lure them away with meat and juice?"

"That'll work."


	7. A Friend in Hell

-Rae POV-

"So…" I asked, looking at the red head. He was grimy and greasy. Must work in the engine room. I've heard they've got a huge generator giving the building power and I guess he confirmed that with his appearance. "What's your name?" I asked the boy who was pretending to relax, acting like his surrounding didn't affect him.

He paused in his lounging, opened one eye and looked at me. "I don't have one," he told me.

"That sucks," I told him. "I'm Rackham D Rae. I know, I've got three names. Almost too many right? What do people call you by when you haven't got a name?" I asked curously. He seemed friendly enough and he was the only person I saw around here who was my age.

"Kid," he replied casually. "People call me kid. Or brat, or boy. But it's usually kid."

"I like that name," I decided, nodding to myself. "If you spell it with two 'd's it'll work and you can keep it. But you need another one. Do you have a preference?" I figured I ought to ask his opinion, after all, he'd be stuck with it for a while.

"No," he told me flatly. "You pick for me if you like."

I could tell he was feigning disinterest but I didn't call him on it. I liked him. "Do you know anyone whose name you like?" I asked, grabbing in the dark.

He paused. "No." I think he did know someone. I don't think he liked that person. Again, I didn't ask.

Instead I rambled. "You look like an 'E' person but I don't know too many 'E' names. Ernie is a stupid name. you're not stupid. Eric's fine, but it's boring. You're not boring so that won't do at all. Eustass… That could work. It's very regal sounding. You don't look very regal, but you've got the right pride and attitude to wear a name like Eustass just fine. So it suits you. Eustass Kidd. I'm calling you that from now on. Don't forget it okay?"

"And what was your name again?" he asked, giving no confirmation that he would remember.

"Rackham D Rachel," I told him proudly. "Nice to meet you. Everyone just calls me Rae. You do that too okay?"

* * *

-Kidd POV-

Rae came back every day after that. Even on days we were both too tired to talk, she'd hobble over and collapse next to me. Usually after that, her mom would come over and huddle her up into her lap. I just sat there next to them. It never took me very long to fall asleep when they were there and I didn't get nightmares either.

When I first met Rae's mom she insisted I call her Iris. Apparently that was her name. Rackham D Iris. What's with these people and having three names anyway? Iris looked a lot like her daughter, only older. They both had dark purple eyes and light purple hair. They both had these ridiculously bright smiles that you just weren't supposed to see in places like this. Must have been because they were together.

One day, when Rae was passed out and I wasn't - which was unusual in and of itself because she was a cleaning slave and I was an engineering slave - she fell asleep on my shoulder. I just started at her for a minute.

"It means she trusts you," Iris said.

"Why the hell would she do that?" I asked, staring back to the greasy, dirty purple had resting against my chest.

Iris just shrugged. "It's a good thing. Don't question it."

We both sat there for a little while. We really ought to be sleeping. We had a big day tomorrow. And the day after that. And forever really. We should rest. But I didn't want to. Searching around for something to say I decided on, "So… What are you in for?"

Her mouth quirked. "You're a ballsy little Kidd, ain'tcha? That's fine," Iris decided. "I got caught. Obviously. I was never built for fighting really. I'm all about speed and stealth. Not being a one-woman-army. Maybe if Whitebeard had showed up sooner or if my husband had been there… but I can't blame them really. Whitebeard's got lots of people to look after and my husband was following his dream. I wish I could've kept my daughter safe from them but… I guess it just didn't work out that way, you know?' She started off into the distance. "What are you in for?"

I shrugged with one shoulder as nonchalantly as I could. "Mom didn't need another useless bastard son. I was worth money."

Iris's gaze turned sharp and snapped back to me. Before I knew what she was doing, both Rae and I were squashed together in her lap and being held close. I don't think I could ever remember being hugged like that. It wasn't entirely unwelcome. "I've changed my mind!" Iris decided. "You're not to call me Iris anymore!"

"What?" I asked, "But why? I thought it was your name?"

"It is," she agreed, "but you're to call me mom now. You're family. If you haven't got a mother than I'll fill in as best I can."

"Huh?" What was wrong with these people? Giving out names, deciding family, what the hell? "You can just do that?"

"I already did. Now you need to know the rules: No escape attempts until you're seventeen. No making me worry unnecessarily. No calling people names behind their backs, but to their faces is fine. No getting the attention of the Celestial Dragons. And most importantly: You must always remember what your dream is."

"But… I don't have a dream," I protested weakly, terribly confused. "I don't have a family. What are you trying to pull here?"

"Pick one. A dream. What do you want. More than anything else, what do you want. Is it impossible? Who cares. You want it. Work towards it. Be that way. Fight that way. Life that way. Die that way. Your dream is more important than anything. So make sure it's something you care about. And then go for it." She cut herself off, "Once your seventeen," she amended, "Remember no escaping until your seventeen."

"What?"

"Now," Iris - or was it Mom now? - decided, "I'm going to sleep and you're staying right here. Goodnight."

I was quiet for a long time after that. I don't think I slept that night at all, I was too busy thinking about the things she had said.

* * *

-Iris POV- -Next Morning-

"I'm going to prove them wrong," Kidd said, the first thing I heard that morning. "Everyone who told me I was useless or worthless or weak. I'll prove them wrong. I'll be better than they are."

"And I'm going to be free. I'll stop anyone who gets in my way," Rae agreed.

Oh my baby girl, I'm so sorry you're here. I wish I could be stronger for you. "And I'll guard your dreams with my life," I told them. "I promise."

"But mom, I don't want you to die," Rae protested, frowning.

"Everyone dies sweetheart," I told her. "The question is if you find something worth dying for."


	8. Goodbye Isn't Forever

-Kat POV-

Daddy was leaving. Daddy was leaving and I… wasn't going with him. I was sort of used to that. Daddy usually left without me. But… usually I was getting left behind with Mommy. And she was dead. I didn't have her anymore. I hadn't had my mommy for a few months now.

* * *

-Flashback-

"Daddy? Why can't I see mommy anymore?"

Daddy opened his mouth and took a deep breath, shaking slightly. I was scared. My daddy wasn't smiling. He was always smiling. When he wasn't, it usually meant that something bad was going to happen to the bad guys. But there weren't any bad guys there so… was he mad at me? Daddy didn't look mad though. He looked… upset? "Your mom's…" he croaked out, not quite looking at me, "she… you…"

I blinked at him expectantly. But daddy didn't seem capable of making full sentences just then. "Daddy? Are you okay?" I asked carefully. My daddy had never not been okay before. I wasn't sure what to do. Mommy made chicken soup whenever I wasn't okay. "Do you need chicken soup?" I offered hopefully.

He didn't answer me, just reached out and crushed me to his chest. "Kat, your mom's not coming back." Soup wouldn't help then.

I didn't have to think about it too much. Not when the answer suddenly became apparent. My mommy was dead. "Daddy?" I asked, "What killed her?" He pulled away from the bone-crushing hug just enough to see my face. "I mean, she wasn't sick or anything, so what killed her?"

Daddy refused to meet my eyes. "You're probably too young to understand…"

"Tell me anyway," I demanded, "I'll remember when I'm older and then I'll figure it out. I promise."

Daddy hesitated. "People killed her. People who were afraid of what you might grow up to be. Okay? When people are scared, they can do cruel things."

"So… they were trying to kill me?" I asked. I could feel tears forming now.

My daddy didn't answer right away. Eventually he just said, "Yes."

"But I didn't do anything to them!" I protested. "I'm not a mean person!"

"I know, sweetheart," Daddy promised, holding me tighter, "I know. And none of this is your fault. It's just… when the person in charge is a bad guy, sometimes people will follow him anyway. You understand? So when they're told to do bad things, they still think it's okay."

"Then… who puts the bad people in charge?" I asked, trying to understand as I stubbornly brushed my tears away. "If I were in charge, I wouldn't tell people to do bad things all the time. I wanna be in charge!"

-End Flashback-

* * *

I knew from the beginning I was only traveling with Daddy for a little bit, until he could find somewhere safe for me to stay. I had secretly hoped that no such place existed and I could stay with him forever. I loved my daddy more than anything else in the world, since mommy was up in heaven now. And now he was leaving me alone.

Well, not really alone. I still had Falcon. I now had Luffy too. I wasn't really alone. It wasn't really bad. Daddy knelt down in front of me and I hugged him. I always got the best bear hugs from my daddy.

"Be brave, sweetheart," he whispered in my ear. "I love you so much."

"Your not coming back to visit this time, are you?" I asked him, hiding my face in his neck.

"No, sweetheart," he admitted, "I can't." He squeezed me tighter and I never wanted him to let me go. (AN: Yeah, because Falcon interfered, Luffy never got kidnapped, no one ever fought the Lord of the Coast and Shanks still has both arms. Instead, Falcon is a badass little dude. Deal with it.) "This time you're the one who's going to have to come visit me."

"I'll come real soon," I told him, "as soon as I can!"

"You can't sweetheart." Daddy told me. "Not until you're bigger and stronger. Not for a long time."

I snuffled. "But someday, right?" I asked. "I don't want to never see you again. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, sweetheart. Be brave, sweetheart. I'll see you again someday."

So decided to be the bravest.

* * *

-Luffy POV-

"So you're leaving?" I asked, looking up at Shanks.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I needed to find somewhere safe for Kat and Falcon, and we did. We have to part ways now. I bet you lot will miss me."

"Yeah, but I won't beg you to take me with you this time," I told him proudly, "I become a pirate all on my own."

He stuck out his tongue at me. "I wouldn't have taken you anyway. You'll never make it as a pirate."

"NO!" I shouted angrily. I will dammit! "I WILL MAKE IT AS A PIRATE! SOMEDAY I'M GONNA FIND A CREW EVEN BETTER THAN YOURS AND I'LL FIND THE GREATEST TREASURE IN THE WORLD! AND THEN I'LL BE KING OF THE PIRATES! I'LL SHOW YOU!"

"Huh? You think you'll surpass us?" he asked teasingly. I couldn't look at him. Shanks wasn't taking me seriously. I mean what I said and he didn't believe me. I felt something land on my head. When I tried to look up, I recognized the rim of Shanks's straw hat… but it was on my head, not Shanks's. Did he just…? "In that case," he decided, "I'll leave this hat to you. It means more to me than almost anything in the world. So you better take good care of it, okay?"

"Goodbye, Daddy," Kat's voice came from behind me. "I'll miss you." She was biting her lip and sniffling, trying not to cry.

"Goodbye, sir," Falcon agreed, he swallowed a little before continuing. "I'll try to look after these idiots for you - while you're busy that is. I don't think I could put up with them indefinitely."

"Thank you, Falcon. I'm sure your father would be proud of you, being so responsible at such a young age," Shanks said, smiling down at us softly. "Kat, remember what I said, and know that no matter what, remember that you're still my little girl and that I love you and I'm proud of you. Luffy, I want you to bring this hat back to me someday, in good condition. And only when you've become a great pirate. That's our promise, Luffy."

And after that… he sailed away.

* * *

-Falcon POV-

I was largely unaffected by the departure of the East Wind, her captain and her crew. I had made sure to keep my distance from them, knowing I'd likely never see them again. At least not for a long time.

Luffy seemed upset by their leaving, but inspired and excited about the future. He was running around showing everyone who passed by the fact that he still had Shanks's hat and I didn't think he'd stop anytime soon. He'd probably be fine. It wasn't him I was worried about. Not that I worried at all mind, it wasn't my job.

Kat was hiding her tears. Or rather, she was determined not to have any. It wasn't working very well.

"Why aren't you crying?" I asked. "You just said goodbye to your dad, right? You're allowed to cry."

"No, I've got to be brave. You're brave. You didn't cry," she argued stubbornly.

I shook my head and sighed. Stupid girl. "Yeah, but he's not my dad. He's yours. Not mine. I don't care."

"Falcon…?" She asked me, pulling her knees to her chest and leaning against the outside wall of Party's Bar. "Do you miss your dad?"

I hesitated. But I wasn't going to lie to her. "Yes."

"Did you cry when you left?"

I sucked in a breath. Had I cried? Of course I had. My Father had been the one thing I could always count on and suddenly he wouldn't be there anymore. I had decided not to lie to her and I wouldn't, dammit. "A little." Not as much as I wanted to.

"If I cry, can you not tell anyone? Please?" Kat's head was buried under her arms and I couldn't see her face, but I was pretty sure she was already crying.

"If you want," I offered.

Kat cried. I let her crawl into my lap, despite her not fitting properly and despite both of us knowing that my hugs weren't as good as Shanks's. It costs me no pride to say that Shanks gives some of the best hugs in the world. The same was true of my father, when he was there and when he could spare them.

* * *

**So yeah, I updated. Try not to shit yourselves. I know I haven't for like… months. Sorry about that. I have only on excuse and this is it: I'm lazy. I didn't say it was a good excuse. I'll try to be better in the future. My schedule did just open up a lot (I have 2 lunch blocks now… weird but convenient) so hopefully I can put some of that time to good use. Also… I've noticed that my chapters for this fic are really, REALLY short. Sorry about that, but I don't think it's going to change much. The next bit I have planned will be back with Rae and Kidd, so look forward to it. But also don't get your hopes up too high. It might be a while.**


	9. Assult on Mariejois

-Fisher Tiger POV-

I was free. I was in the water, staring up at the Red Line. Ten thousand meters of rock, jutting out of my beloved ocean. From here, I could swim back to Fishman Island. I could never look back. I could be safe. I could be free. I could go back home, see everyone again. I didn't have to tell anyone about what happened, not ever. I could put it all behind me.

But I couldn't forget. I still had the mark of the Celestial Dragons branded onto my chest. That would never fade. Neither would the memories. I just knew I'd be getting nightmares about that place for the rest of my life. I wasn't even a slave for all that long in the grand scheme of things… just a few months. There were people who had been there all their lives. Who would be there all their lives. Rackham D Rae was there.

That kid… I hadn't taken her seriously when she said she'd help me. I thought she'd forget. But she had been right. She had come up with a plan just for me - nobody else had pink skin or could swim like a Fishman - and it had worked. The woman who liked pretty colors picked me for my skin, same as she had chosen Rae that one time. She took us to the cliff house for her 'vacation' - not that any of the bastards ever worked a day in their lives. I stole the keys. And I jumped. Now I'm free.

And damn if I don't owe Rae a debt. Sure, she claims she gave me that plan in return for lifting the bookshelf off her, but still. That's not even. She had no need to repay me. No reason. And she held no fear of me. She didn't even know what 'Fishmans' were.

What kind of person would I be to leave a little girl like that in such a hell?

I had to go back.

* * *

-Kidd POV-

Everything started out the same as usual. It was, for all intents and purposes a normal day. A horrible, miserable, hateful day, but still normal. We got up. Rae hugged my arm tightly and Iri-mom ruffled my hair as she went one way and I went another. I got smacked in the head by someone but didn't bother identifying who for running late, even though I was on time. Then I and my fellow greasemonkeys were herded off towards the engine room.

It was too hot and too loud. I collected a few more burns and worked on the machines that pumped electricity through Mariejois. I hated my job. I hated the work. I hated the people. I hated being told I wasn't good enough and wasn't worth the food I was fed. I wasn't worth the money spent on me and I wasn't worth my first mom's time. I wanted nothing more than to prove them wrong, but I wasn't sure how. Beating the shit out of somebody sounded good. But I promised mom I wouldn't until I was seventeen.

And wasn't that a strange though. I had spent those first few days trying to rationalize it. Iris wasn't my real mom. She didn't give birth to me. I had no relation, no right to call myself part of that family. I had no family and wasn't good enough for one. I'd been told that all my life. I kept looking for signs that I wasn't worth the same to Iris as Rae was. You looked at the two and you could just tell they were family. They looked exactly the same. And more importantly, the love just kind of oozed out of them. Even in this hell, they made each other happy. And, somehow… I made them happy too.

Rae's face lit up when she saw me each day. Iris would hold me in her lap same as she held Rae. I was five years older than her **(AN: This is accurate. See footnote for details.)** and a good few inches taller, but Iris would pull us both into her lap all the same. She wasn't a big woman, so that was something of a feat in and of itself. She fussed over my inevitable burns and scrapes, same as Rae.

There was one memorable incident where I got a burn on my cheek, thanks to a thrown pipe, and Rae had insisted on 'kissing it better'. **(AN: To clarify, they're kids. Don't get your mind in the gutter. This isn't a pairing. Whether it will be in the future is yet to be determined.)** I'd never heard such nonsense. Rae beamed at me like she'd just cured my cancer or something. Iris had just laughed. But she wasn't laughing at me. She was laughing, but it wasn't mocking or insulting. She just thought it was funny.

I started calling her mom after that. And Rae was my little sister. I wasn't alone in this hell. And that was great. And it was horrible. I couldn't exactly be happy they were here, now could I? But I sorta was. I was half convinced this made me a terrible person. And maybe it did. When I mentioned this to mom, she just looked at me for a minute. Eventually she said, "At least you're honest about it. And, to be fair, I'm glad you're here too, Kiddo." I didn't hate the name.

Anyways, so it was a normal day, right? Well, it didn't stay that way. You should have realized that the first time I mentioned things 'starting out' that way. It implies that something changed. And boy, did things change.

It started with shouting in the distance, gradually getting louder and closer. Then it got so that we could hear fighting. A few people looked up from their work but didn't dare stop entirely. Nobody wanted a whipping.

This is where my memory got a little hazy. Suddenly there was fighting there, in the room. And people were shouting, some angry some joyous, some scared, some in pain. Everything got jumbled together.

The next thing I know I'm surrounded by fire and everyone's gone. I'm alone. And the fire's getting closer.

Part of me was thinking about how the fire started. What was happening? Marijois was under attack. The slaves were revolting, probably escaping too. Someone must have started it. Most of me though, didn't care about those details. I had more important things to think about.

I thought I'd never see Rae or mom again. I thought I had failed at my dream to prove everyone wrong. I thought it was all over. I absolutely believed that I was going to die that day, still wearing those chains. But obviously… I didn't.

* * *

**AN: Current ages: Falcon is 11, so is Kidd. Ace and Sabo are ten. Kat is 9. Luffy is 7. Rae is 6. Boa Hancock is 19. Sandersonia and Marigold don't have an exact age. Just so you know where everyone stands so far, in case I (probably haven't) clarified that already. **

**In canon, these events happened thirteen years before the start of the series instead of ten, like we have here, but the difference is small enough that I hope you can all get over it. The main idea is there, I just tweaked it a little. There will be a few little adjustments like that. Most of my changes will either be small, or concern background information on certain characters that hasn't been revealed yet in the anime. Hopefully you lot find it interesting enough to overlook my bullshit. **

**That being said, I updated! YEAH! I'M ON A ROLL! SOMEBODY SHOULD BE CHEERING FOR ME SOMEWHERE! **


	10. To the Rescue!

-Rae POV-

"Here, keys!" I shouted, shoving them into the hands of a black haired girl, much older than me. "Free the others! We're bustin' out!"

"Thank you!" she said, "Thank you!" She was already scrambling with shaky hands to get the keys into her sister's shackles, before even her own.

I couldn't see Kidd anywhere in the commotion. But I knew where he was. I ran for the engine room. He had to be there. He just had to. And I wasn't leaving him behind. Kidd was family. Kidd was my brother. I could not bear to lose my family, not when they were all I had in the entire world. They were too precious.

I heard my mom yelling for people to get out and to run, trying to make sure nobody got left behind. She could worry about the others, I would focus on my family. I'm not sure what started all this chaos, but I know that it counts as an exception to the '_no running until you're seventeen_' rule mom made up. And Kidd was coming with us, dammit! People's legs kept getting in my way but I dodged around them. Someone shouted that I was going the wrong way but otherwise didn't try to stop me. I knew the way to the engine room, I knew where I needed to go…

And the door was closed.

Who the fuck closed the door?! **(AN: Yeah, she's six. But can you really imagine her growing up in that kind of environment and not knowing swear words? Me neither.)** If I ever find out which fucker did that I'd carve out their spleen with a rusty spoon! I stood on my tip-toes and reached for the handle. _Well, that's just not gonna work. I'm way too short_. There was nothing in sight which I could use to boost myself up either. As a last resort I slammed my body into the door. It didn't budge. "Kidd!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, "Kidd! Can you hear me?! Are you still in there?! Answer me!"

"Rae?!" It was muffled but it was him alright. It was Kidd. He was okay! And he was still behind the door… "Rae, is that you?!" Why did he sound so horrified? Shouldn't he be glad I was there?

"Kidd! It's me!" I shouted happily. _He's okay! He's okay!_ "Can you open the door on your side? I can't reach!"

"No, Rae, I-" He cut himself off. Suddenly he sounded really serious and I wasn't as happy to hear his voice anymore. "Rae, I'm still chained to the line. I'm not gonna get out."

_What was he saying… I wouldn't accept that!_ "That's a lie! There's got to be keys there or something!" I beat my fist against the door. Again it didn't budge. The sound of the fighting was getting farther away. We were running out of time.

"Rae, there are no keys here." Kidd ordered me, "Just go! Go, right now while you still can. I want you to run, okay?"

"What? No! I WON'T ACCEPT THAT! IF I GET TO BE FREE THEN YOU'VE GOT TO FIND YOUR DREAM TOO!" I slammed into the door with all my might. It didn't budge. I slammed again. I felt something catch on my cheek but slammed into the door again anyway. "I'm not leaving you!" I backed up to get a running start and charged forward again. "Budge you stupid door! Give my brother back! Give him back! I can't lose him! Move!" The door stayed shut. I retreated all the way to the other side of the hall before launching myself forward - but I didn't connect.

"What's so important on the other side of the door, hmm?" A voice asked as I was lifted off the ground by the back of my shirt.

I looked up. "Mr. Fisher-sama!?" I shouted, completely shocked.

"No, I'm on this side of the door," he corrected **(AN: I know. He wasn't such a troll in canon. He is now. Get over it.)** "But I take it we need this door open, right?"

I blinked at him for a secon. "YES!" I ordered, "Kid, get away from the door! We're bustin' in!"

"Or I could just do this," Mr. Fisher-sama lifted the latch and opened the door one handed, the other hand still holding me aloft.

"When I grow up, I'm gonna be a fishman, just like you! That way I'll be tall enough to open doors by myself! I wanna be tall!" Mr. Fisher-sama looked at me funny, but didn't say anything on the subject. I decided that he supported my dream.

"Whoa you're big!" Kidd said, eyes bugging out.

"Kidd!" I shouted happily, flailing towards him. Mr. Fisher-sama set me down and I latched onto my brother's waist. "You're okay!"

"I'm still chained," he muttered, but hugged me back.

"Not for long," Mr. Fisher-sama stated, grabbing the thin, child-sized chains in his hands and pulling them apart at the links. Kidd's eyes bugged out further.

"Whoa that's cool," he muttered.

"Isn't he awesome?!" I shouted excitedly, "And he's pink!"

"Right, well, I gotta get you kids out of here first, then you can keep chattering happily about how pink I am." he ordered, scooping us both up under one arm. I giggled happily and Kidd squawked indignantly. "You know back home pink is a perfectly respectable color to be. The princess is pink."

"Yeah, but she's a girl," Kid pointed out. "You're a guy. It's different."

"Why am I saving your life again?"

* * *

**Alright, today is (or was, depending on the timezone): Shanks's birthday, Mihawk's birthday, Franky's birthday **_**and**_ **my late mother's birthday. And what a day it has been. In celebration/remembrance: A CHAPTER! Probably not exactly what they would have asked for, but you people appreciate it right? Well, it's the thought that counts anyway. **

**Also, yeah. I know Fisher Tiger is kindof/really OOC here. But frankly, most of the time he's boring anyway. I like him better this way and it's fanfiction. Get over it. **


End file.
